A.—sa

1936. NEW ZEALAND.

REFORM OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.

Laid on the Table of both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

Memorandum from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, dated July 7th, 1936. " The Secretary-General of the League of Nations has the honour to draw the attention of Members of the League to the following recommendation adopted by the Assembly on July 4th, 1936:— " The Assembly, " 1. Having met again on the initiative of the Government of the Argentine Republic, and in pursuance of the decision to adjourn its session taken on October 11th, 1935, in order to examine the situation arising out of the ItaloEthiopian dispute; " 2. Taking note of the communications and declarations which have been made to it on this subject; " 3. Noting that various circumstances have prevented the full application of the Covenant of the League of Nations; " 4. Remaining firmly attached to the principles of the Covenant, _ which are also expressed in other diplomatic instruments such as the declaration of the American States dated August 3rd, 1932, excluding the settlement of territorial questions by force; "5. Being desirous of strengthening the authority of the League of Nations by adapting the application of these principles to the lessons of experience; " 6. Being convinced that it is necessary to strengthen the real effectiveness of the guarantees of security which the League affords to its Members: " Recommends that the Council — "(a) Should invite the Governments of the Members of the League to send to the Secretary-General, so far as possible before September Ist, 1936, any proposals they may wish to make in order to improve, in the spirit or within the limits laid down above, the application of the principles of the Covenant; "(b) Should instruct the Secretary-General to make a first examination and classification of these proposals ; "(c) Should report to the Assembly at its next meeting on the state of the question." " On July 4th, 1936, the Council instructed the Secretary-General to give effect to the above recommendation. .„,;.. , " In order that he may carry out the first examination which he has been instructed to undertake under paragraph (b)'of the recommendation, the Secretary-General would be grateful to - the Government of New Zealand, if it would send to him, if possible before September Ist, 1936, any proposals which that Government might wish to make in conformity with paragraph (a) of the recommendation."